Clicking it Up a Notch!

I’m clicking it up a notch from over at “Clicking It Up A Notch”





The rules are it must be a photo I took in August… I LOVE this one from my newborn session last week!

Back To School Photo Tips

I know in some parts of the country kids have been back in school for awhile… Here in New England they’re just heading back now…

What would all the excitement, nerves, smell of new pencils/paper/crayons be without Mom & Dad trying to get the obligatory first day of school photo?

I look back at these photos it brings back such memories of that time… the anticipation.  When I see this photo (I hope my brother doesn’t kill me for posting it… sorry Rob, but you’re rocking those Wranglers!)… I remember my new dress… a new watch I had, and I thought I was all that b/c there was a pin under the collar of this dress that was also a watch.  I also had my Holly Hobbie lunch box!  I was ALLLL about Holly Hobbie back then… bedspread, wallpaper, sheets, lunchbox (wish I still had that lunchbox… I digress). Gotta love the Dorothy Hammil haircut too!  What I’m trying to say is looking at this ONE photo brings back all those memories of childhood.

So… here are some tips to capture those memories for your children too!

1. Take a picture, and PLAN for it!  With all the hustle & bustle of the first day of school… packing lunches, completing checklists, getting clothes out, etc… checking the camera may be an afterthought as you’re on the way out the door with only minutes to catch the bus.  Instead… 1-2 days before get your camera out, make sure it’s charged, and the memory card isn’t full.  If you’re really ambitious do a ‘dress rehearsal’, and get everyone dressed for pictures the day, or week before around the same time of day you’ll be leaving.  Have them hold their backpacks, lunchboxes, etc.  If you’re doing it the morning of allow an extra 10-15 minutes.
2. One of my favorite things to do is have the kids have their backpacks on, turn their back toward me, and then have them look over their shoulder at me.                                                  
3. Chalkboard… I saw this on another blog, and thought it was sooo cute.  Get a small chalkboard, and write the year “1st Grade” and have your child hold it. LOVE it!
4. Don’t forget the same for the LAST day of school… it’s so fun to compare… this was from my daughter last year… first day of nursery school, and last day!
5. Try to take the photo at the same spot in your home/yard so you can see from year to year how these little ones are growing waaay too fast!

Time with my grandfather…

My interest in photography is a heritage left to me by my grandfather… I remember my first disc camera (do you remember those?)… circa 1980… I LOVED looking at my grandfather’s fancy SLR camera with all the great lenses that could zoom in close to whatever he wanted to catch.  I particularly remember him taking pictures on our trips to Sea World in Orlando, and Pelicans on the pier in Venice, FL… I think nature was his favorite subject.

I lost my grandfather in 1983 but a day doesn’t go by that I don’t think of him, especially if I’m doing what I love… creating memories with my camera.

Awhile ago my aunt gave me a few of his old lenses that are compatible with my camera (although not all the bells & whistles… like no auto focus)… so I’ve been playing with it a bit, and I LOVE the results… being manual focus it would be tough in my shoots with little ones (they’re too fast for manual focus)… I did catch a few shots of my daughter at her grandparents house today… using this lens gives me a feeling of a deeper connection to the grandfather who shared his love of photography with me, and taught me my first lesson on composition (pay attention to the background!)

This lens is probably 30-40 years old (like ME!)… it gives great detail, sharpness, and blurred backgrounds…. I LOVE it!

Thank you Grandpa!  I wish you were here to offer more photographic words of wisdom & honest critique. ♥♥

-Terri Anne

End Of Summer Mini- Sessions

August Senior High School Yearbook Special!

I'm offering $25 off my sitting fee for senior portraits if booked in the month of August.  If you are in the great Worcester, central Massachusetts area please contact me to book a session.  You will get a 1-2 hour shooting session, with a minimum of 20 proofs to choose from, and will be tagged in at least 4 proofs to share with your friends on Facebook or other social networking site (if you'd like).

<<<<<< Click to the left on the 'contact me' button to send me an e-mail to check availability.

**A lot of schools 'suggest' a certain photographer be used, this isn't always a requirement but more of a suggestion.